Maryland managers compromise on Patapsco

IMBA Trail News
Volume 11, Number 5
November 1998

After proposing extensive closures of trails to bicycling, managers of the Patapsco State Park just outside Baltimore, Maryland, have compromised by removing some of the trail closures and many of the user restrictions. The Mid-Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts (MORE) and the Maryland Mountain Bike Operators (MAMBO) worked hard to achieve this goal.

"But, as with most things in life, there have been some compromises. MORE is sad to report that Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources (MDNR) still plans to convert some existing shared-use mileage into single-use. Particularly disappointing is the loss of the ever-tasty Valley View Trail in Avalon. Later this season, expect to see the dreaded circle/slash signs appear at the trailhead," wrote Dan Hudson of MORE.

Yet MORE's Patapsco liaison Randy Bater said the final plan is acceptable. "It satisfies 90 percent of the users 90 percent of the time," Bater suggested.

Now cyclists need to redirect energy to trail work, advised MAMBO's President Roger Bird. "We have to help put these trails back into a stabilized condition...We need to get this message out to all mountain bikers who ride at Patapsco: No one should ride when the ground is really wet."

IMBA congratulates MORE and MAMBO and wishes them and the MDNR success in upcoming cooperative efforts.